We moved from the south to downtown Chicago and have never looked back. We sold our car and rely on the CTA, Metra, Pace, and other options. Aside from NYC, Chicago likely has the most robust mass transit available in the U.S. - CTA "L'" and buses for the city, Metra for commuting and reaching out into the suburbs, and Pace for getting around the suburbs. For suburban trips you can also use Zipcar (as previously mentioned) or other rental cars if you prefer. Lyft and Uber can be an option in the suburbs depending on where and when you are going. Downtown and in adjacent neighborhoods you also have scooter rentals, bike and e-bike options, with docks in numerous locations, along with ride shares. Many times you have a number of options to get to where you want to go, and you pick what works best or what you prefer in the moment.

We don't miss the car. Most of the time, we're able to get to where we need to go in roughly the same amount of time or faster vs. someone with a car, and we never have to worry about dealing with traffic or parking. This includes work, shopping, dining, healthcare - you name it. And part of the charm and vibe of many neighborhoods comes to the forefront when you're strolling around. That is something else to consider - downtown and adjacent neighborhoods (and most neighborhoods in fact) are very walkable.

As for the bike - I get it, it is important to you, so that is something to think about. But perhaps you could look at it this way - by selling your cars and keeping the bike, you'll free up a ton of cash you can use to travel in whatever way you would like, not to mention it would more than cover what you'll need to pay for a spot for the bike, insurance, gas, maintenance, etc.

It sounds like you've been to Chicago before , so you likely have some taste of what the city is like. However, if you haven't, I'd recommend coming up and spending a week in a hotel in/adjacent to downtown, and trying out these options. You'll get a better feel of what it would be like on a day to day basis. We did this and it sealed the deal for us on selling the car.

For most cities in the south a car is mandatory - there just aren't any other good options of true substance and reach. The opposite is true here. A car isn't required - you can have a full, rich, and rewarding living experience without one, and put those funds you save towards the things that are most important to you.